Notes
- Obviously this is completely dependent on the new Memphis ownership group wanting to avoid luxury tax
- This trade is constructed to bring a return for Rudy Gay that is similar to the haul OKC got for Harden
- I tried to construct a trade that addressed needs of each team (some based on rumors/articles I have recently read)

TORONTO
- Gay is an upgrade from DeRozan in starting lineup, allowing Fields to shift to starting SG
- backup PF logjam is cleared up
- Lucas moves up to 2nd string PG, with Selby becoming 3rd string PG
- Bell becomes the 3rd string SG
- add approx. $4M to total team salary this season (next season's team salary would be roughly what this year's team salary is prior to this trade)

MEMPHIS
- DeRozan is a younger/cheaper replacement for Gay, who still has potential to further develop into a star player
- Calderon is an expiring asset that could either allow them to save big $$ and/or be used in another deal
- get 2 1st round picks
- save approx. $3M this season and very likely more than $10M each of the next 2 seasons (if DeRozan is re-signed for as much as $8-9M per season and Calderon walks after the season)
- DeRozan & Calderon & 2 1st round picks & Zubic (a 2nd round pick) is similar haul to what OKC got for Harden (Lamb & Martin & 2 1st round picks & 1 2nd round pick)

DENVER
- Millsap can slide into the starting PF role, letting Faried fall back into the backup PF role
- Chandler was stuck behind Gallinari & Iguodala on the wings, plus they still have Brewer & Miller at backup SF and Fournier & Hamilton at backup SG
- add approx. $3M this season
- swap a guaranteed-money late 1st round pick for 2 non-guaranteed 2nd round picks (likely that at least one of them will be early 2nd round) - $1.5M cash could be used to try and turn one of the 2nd round picks into a late 1st round pick via future trade

UTAH
- they want to open up playing time for Favors & Kanter, and the story I read recently has them wanting a good, young wing/guard for Millsap, so Chandler would seem to be a very good fit
- Davis gives them a backup PF, so the trade doesn't even create any holes for them
- they get to dump Bell and end the ongoing saga with him
- save approx. $4M this season
- swap a guaranteed-money late 1st round pick for 2 non-guaranteed 2nd round picks (likely that at least one of them will be early 2nd round) - $1.5M cash could be used to try and turn one of the 2nd round picks into a late 1st round pick via future trade

I know there are a lot of "Ifs" and assumptions in this deal, but I think it is pretty fair for all teams and addresses some key needs of each team.

Tue Oct 30th, 2012, 03:25 PM

planetmars

For the Raptors this is a no brainer.. I'm just not sure Memphis would want Jose (even though he's expiring) since they have Conley, Bayless, and Wroten.

Used Jefferson instead of Millsap. Denver then sends Mozgov to Memphis, so that Memphis gets depth at Center, PF, and SG. Denver could then shift Jefferson to PF to complement McGee. Jose then goes to Utah who doesn't really have a PG (Mo Williams is more like a combo guard), and can almost stay cap space neutral once Jose's contract expires.

Other issue is that Denver is really high on Faried. So not sure they would want him off the bench, but Jefferson/Mcgee could compete against Gasol/Howard and Ibaka/Perkins in the West.

Tue Oct 30th, 2012, 04:53 PM

CalgaryRapsFan

Fair point, which is why I thought Calderon might be flipped by Memphis in a subsequent/parallel deal, perhaps with Dallas, for example? Memphis involvement is entirely based on an assumption that the new owners want to avoid luxury tax and would be looking for a deal similar to the Harden trade (ie: 1 young player and 2 1st round draft picks, with expiring salary to make it work). If that assumption proves to be faulty (it's a complete unknown at this point, and even some ESPN experts are wondering on Twitter what the sale means for Gay's future in Memphis), then the whole deal falls apart.

I was really just looking at guys that are (or likely could be) available and seeing how they could potentially be all traded for each other, with Gay winding up in Toronto, while trying to be realistic about both player availability and team needs.